need new pup to be a guard dog

jamesd

We socialised our Akita as a pup as much as we could - we even showed him in local shows at 4/5 months to get him used to people and kids and he is a brilliant guard dog, great with people when we let them in but when they are outside our wall he tells them who is boss. Akita s are natural family protectors.

foxer3640

I've a jack russell that 's a great watchdog and barks to no end when there's anyone around. On thier own, useless, just like your westie:D, but her back up are now two rottweillers.


We never encouraged anything other than good manners, they just guard instinctively as they get older. We got one of the Rotts as a pup and as he's getting a bit older 14 months, he's just showing more reserve and has that ...don't try me look...truth be known, I don't think he'd do anything.

No one will chance a big dog. Thankfully we have never been broken into and I put this down to always having dogs.

We had some stuff stolen from outside and heating oil robbed but not since I got the Rottweillers who stay in the yard by day and inside at night or when myself or wife are home.

People think we're mad for not having them sleep outside at night to 'guard' the place, but they do a better job from inside. Sometimes the JRT starts off an awful racket at night and when we get up the other two run the fence, if anyone was out there, they'd have made tracks.


We never trained them to do this, thay just do it.

LucyBliss

Yeah, we never trained our three terrier cross (though the older two of them get, the more I come to believe that Daddy was a bull terrier of sorts) to be 'guard dogs' either, but they bark the place down whenever anybody comes to the door or if they're in the garden (always supervised) and someone walks up the street. We live in a cul de sac but there's a few rented properties here now so you don't know people like you used to and it's no harm for people to know that there are dogs about who will alert to the presence of strangers, especially as there have been a few break-ins in the area over the past few months.

People have actually rang the doorbell and then when I answer it, they're backing away and will say something like "Oh, your dogs sound like they'll eat me alive, ha ha". I never correct them. If people want to think that there are three blood thirsty fiends in the house, fine by me. People who are family and friends know better and I'm assuming none of them will try to rob us.

Tranceypoo

LucyBliss wrote: »

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People have actually rang the doorbell and then when I answer it, they're backing away and will say something like "Oh, your dogs sound like they'll eat me alive, ha ha". I never correct them. If people want to think that there are three blood thirsty fiends in the house, fine by me. People who are family and friends know better and I'm assuming none of them will try to rob us.

We're exactly the same, we have 2 and they will bark the place down if someone dares come to the door, I will always always encourage the 'my dogs are really vicious' way of thinking to anyone who comes to the door (even my mother in law, naughty!)

Lagoona Blue

Hi folks , thanks for all the wonderful informative replies . I'm delighted with the pup , have really bonded with him and I never thought I would like to own a big dog ! He's great with the kids and people in general . He's going to be a house pet who will be brought for daily walks but also run around the back garden too when he feels like it .

Somebody wrote a post (Can't remember who ) to say if their house was broken into they hope they dog would hide rather than be hurt . I just wanted to say I would never like my dog to be hurt either in that situation but as someone else pointed out a big dog does prove to be a deterrent and I fully agree so hopefully it would never come to that .

I know now there's no need to train him to be a guard dog as I'm sure he'll come into his own when he's older . We've already toilet trained him and thought him all the commands , he's picked it up really quickly although my westie is not a happy girl! he's much bigger than her and I think she feels a little intimated by him . I keep them together most of the time hoping they will bond and get used to each other but westie is just hididng under tables all day . Pup is growling at her and nipping a lot . When he does this I tell him a firm NO and he stops , any ideas what I should be doing to help them get on or do some dogs just never get on ?

ShaShaBear

Lagoona Blue wrote: »

Hi folks , thanks for all the wonderful informative replies . I'm delighted with the pup , have really bonded with him and I never thought I would like to own a big dog ! He's great with the kids and people in general . He's going to be a house pet who will be brought for daily walks but also run around the back garden too when he feels like it .

Somebody wrote a post (Can't remember who ) to say if their house was broken into they hope they dog would hide rather than be hurt . I just wanted to say I would never like my dog to be hurt either in that situation but as someone else pointed out a big dog does prove to be a deterrent and I fully agree so hopefully it would never come to that .

I know now there's no need to train him to be a guard dog as I'm sure he'll come into his own when he's older . We've already toilet trained him and thought him all the commands , he's picked it up really quickly although my westie is not a happy girl! he's much bigger than her and I think she feels a little intimated by him . I keep them together most of the time hoping they will bond and get used to each other but westie is just hididng under tables all day . Pup is growling at her and nipping a lot . When he does this I tell him a firm NO and he stops , any ideas what I should be doing to help them get on or do some dogs just never get on ?

Swapping bedding is great, make sure you feed them separate, a good bit apart, so there arent any scuffles over food :P If they both like walks, its great to walk them together a bit, preferably if you have someone who can walk the other dog. It gets them used to being beside each other while giving you a bit of physical control over the situation. Don't leave the two of them alone unattended until you see full progress, a puppy that will get very big in no time or a very unhappy westie could do some damage if it came to a fight. Also, keep doing what you're doing with your puppy. If his nips are quite bad, give him a time out - say no and separate him from your westie... he'll soon learn that when he bites her, he gets taken away from her. Make sure your westie gets plenty of attention and affection, its very easy to forget about your dog when theres another puppy in the house

(It was me who said about not wanting my dog to be hurt, I didn't mean to suggest that you did, obviously I can tell you love your furbabies :P I more meant that I would not like to specifically train my dog to protect my house, because then I would feel bad if my actions lead to him getting hurt over a wobbly laptop and a TV )

Lagoona Blue

ShaShaBear wrote: »

Swapping bedding is great, make sure you feed them separate, a good bit apart, so there arent any scuffles over food :P If they both like walks, its great to walk them together a bit, preferably if you have someone who can walk the other dog. It gets them used to being beside each other while giving you a bit of physical control over the situation. Don't leave the two of them alone unattended until you see full progress, a puppy that will get very big in no time or a very unhappy westie could do some damage if it came to a fight. Also, keep doing what you're doing with your puppy. If his nips are quite bad, give him a time out - say no and separate him from your westie... he'll soon learn that when he bites her, he gets taken away from her. Make sure your westie gets plenty of attention and affection, its very easy to forget about your dog when theres another puppy in the house

(It was me who said about not wanting my dog to be hurt, I didn't mean to suggest that you did, obviously I can tell you love your furbabies :P I more meant that I would not like to specifically train my dog to protect my house, because then I would feel bad if my actions lead to him getting hurt over a wobbly laptop and a TV )

Hi . I know what you mean about your dog getting hurt . I would hate that to happen to any of mine . By swapping bedding do you mean actually swapping their beds ? yes I'm feeding separately as pup growls at westy when she is eating from her own bowl even though he has his own ! I think its more of a jealousy thing , if we pet the westie thats when he starts growling and nipping . The funny thing is they sleep in the same room at night , beds beside each other and theres never a sound out of them ! It must be just when the rest of the family are around .

jimf

Tranceypoo wrote: »

We're exactly the same, we have 2 and they will bark the place down if someone dares come to the door, I will always always encourage the 'my dogs are really vicious' way of thinking to anyone who comes to the door (even my mother in law, naughty!)

for your sake i hope your mother in law doesnt know your boards user name

jimf

an old friend of my father had 2 akitas most friendly dogs and biggest pets you ever seen would let anybody into his house/property but did their true side show if you tried to leave without their owner being there would keep you there for hours he said never bit anybody

ShaShaBear

Lagoona Blue wrote: »

Hi . I know what you mean about your dog getting hurt . I would hate that to happen to any of mine . By swapping bedding do you mean actually swapping their beds ? yes I'm feeding separately as pup growls at westy when she is eating from her own bowl even though he has his own ! I think its more of a jealousy thing , if we pet the westie thats when he starts growling and nipping . The funny thing is they sleep in the same room at night , beds beside each other and theres never a sound out of them ! It must be just when the rest of the family are around .

Well if they're sleeping together no problems then it probably wont be needed, but if they have removable cushions in the bed, swap them over so they become accustomed to each others scent. Usually only applicable if they're like that all the time :P